TONIGHT'S CBS NEWS - NEW YORK TIMES POLL HAS A TIGHT THREE WAY COMPETITION AT THE TOP OF GOP PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCES...........

As reported by anchorman Scott Pelley, on tonight's CBS Evening News broadcast their latest poll out tonight shows that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is now in a stastical, within the margin of error, top of the pack, in the lead, position as the preference for the 2012 Republican Presidential Nomination.  Businessman Herman Cain remains in first place with 18% support;  Mitt Romney is next at 15% support; tied with Newt Gingrich at 15% support.  Cain, is down 7% since sexual harassment charges surfaced against him two weeks ago, while Romney, has dropped 6% from the last poll, and Gingrich, is up 5% from the previous poll.  Rick Perry scores 8% support; and the other four candidates, Huntsman, Paul, Bachman, Santorum, have 27% combined; and 17% of GOP voters polled are undecided.  Is Gingrich's rise a result of his strong debate appearances, or of continuing uncertainty about Romney, or growing ambivalence about Cain ?  Or is Gingrich, the newest flavor of the month among Republican hopefuls ?  With seven - eight weeks until the January 3, Iowa Caucuses, and January 10, New Hampshire Primary, and the casting of the votes - the Republican race for the 2012 Presidential nominarion still is apparently open to Gingrich, Cain, and Romney...........Update Election 2012,   Fr.  Troy